The Aftermath
by KristenJ350
Summary: What happened after Cameron quit? What makes her stay at PPTH?


The Aftermath

"I'll miss you!"

Those words had been continuously running through House's head. Not but a mere three hours ago he was in his office and had completely lost his team. The only member he was sure would stay, left him on her own accord. It had come to him as a complete surprise.

_She said she'd miss me_, House thought to himself. _Why leave? Why now? Maybe it's beyond the job and her having gotten all she could from it. Maybe she finally realized that she had gotten all she could from me. I mean, I could easily continue teaching and expanding her knowledge of diagnostics but maybe she finally deduced that she can't get what she wants from me. Maybe this is her way of letting go; taking care of herself and getting what she needs elsewhere._ House swirled his whiskey around in his glass as he sat at his piano bench pondering the situation.

_I shouldn't care. She was just my lackey; just someone to do my bidding. But then why do I feel slightly… _House took a moment thinking carefully _…empty? That's the word; empty! _

"Oh… my… God!" House exclaimed suddenly jumping from the bench. "I'm going to miss her too." He quickly removed the familiar orange bottle from his pocket, extracting three of his precious pills; downing them in one fell swoop followed closely by the rest of his whiskey quickly removing the bittersweet reminisce that briefly occupied his taste buds.

Shaking his head he walked briskly to his bed. _The night is young still but it's time to turn off my brain. Maybe some rest will help clear my mind!_

**A few days later**

"So Allison, have you decided what jobs you want to pursue? I mean, you have that excellent offer from Cuddy that she basically chased you out of the hospital with the other day but I know we can easily find jobs elsewhere too." He took a moment and verified his eye contact with her. "What do you want?" He said as he reached across the table for her hand and caressed it gently.

"I honestly need some more time to decide. I've put in applications a few places that I'm sure I'd be able to get jobs but I'm not sure what I want right now," she said as she caressed his hand back; tracing his palm with her thumb.

"Well, take your time, okay? We're in no rush." Chase stood up from their table giving her hand a squeeze before releasing it. "I'm going to run to the little boy's room for a moment. When they come to get our drink orders could you order a coke for me?"

"Sure thing," she said smiling up at Chase as he walked away.

_What do I want?_ Cameron asked herself. _I left House because I needed to break the hold; stop the pattern. If I had stayed much longer I fear my heart would have been lost forever; entangled within the complexities that make House never to be extricated. He may not have even realized the hold he had on me._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the waiter coming to take their orders for drinks. She gave him their orders and as the waiter departed her table her cell phone beeped.

_Hmm, a text message!_ She reached in her purse to retrieve the phone flipping it open to see a text from House. In utter shock she opened the text to read a simple, "I'll miss you too!"

_Wow, I… _her thoughts again being interrupted by Chase returning. She abruptly closed her phone and placed it in her purse.

"Anything important?" Chased asked nodding towards her purse as he sat back in his seat.

"Nope, just my Mom," she replied staring out the window next to them.

She stayed quite for awhile letting Chase continue a conversation; too bad she couldn't participate. Their drinks arrived and they placed their meal orders. As the waiter left Cameron barked out, "I'm taking Cuddy's offer!"

"Wait, what? I thought you wanted time to think it over!? I thought you didn't know what you wanted!? Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I'm sure now! I've just been thinking and I realized that Princeton is my home and I can't leave my home." Chase nodded in understanding and she smiled in return.

They say home is where the hearts is but in this instance her heart is where House is.


End file.
